This invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method and a program, and more particularly to an information processing apparatus and method and a program wherein slideshow reproduction for an arbitrary period of time can be performed.
A slideshow function of automatically displaying still pictures in order after every predetermined interval of time such as one second is incorporated in various apparatus such as a personal computer which can handle still pictures picked up by a digital camera. In some of such apparatus, a tune to be used as BGM upon slideshow can be selected in accordance with a liking of its user.
Consequently, the user can enjoy still pictures, which are displayed automatically and successively, while enjoying a favorite tune without performing any operation for causing the still pictures to be displayed one by one.
Also an apparatus is available which has a slideshow function which does not display still pictures (picked up still pictures) fetched by the apparatus as they are but successively displays still pictures to which various effects are applied (refer to, for example, “DoCoMo mova P506iC Photococktail (trademark)”, Internet <URL: http://panasonic.jp/mobile/p506ic/photo/index.html>: hereinafter referred to as Non-Patent Document 1).
In this instance, the user can select still pictures to be reproduced, a type of an effect and a tune of BGM to produce a content with BGM with which the still pictures to which the effect is applied can be displayed automatically and successively.
Further, a system for scheduling and processing image data and sound data has been proposed (for example, refer to JP-A-2001-507471, hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1).
However, for example, in such an information processing apparatus wherein a slideshow application operates as disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 and such a system as disclosed in Patent Document 1, in order to assure a high degree of operability to the user, a plurality of different effects are prepared in advance and an effect selected from among the effects is applied still pictures. Normally, each of the effects is a representation for displaying one or a plurality of still pictures for a period of time of several seconds. Accordingly, an image of the slideshow is formed from a set of such effects. This image is displayed in conformity with a designated tune.
However, in other words, the reproduction time period of each effect is determined in advance because it is information of “in what manner the still picture is to be represented when it is displayed.” Accordingly, since also the reproduction time period of a slideshow image which is a combination of effects is determined by the combination, there is a subject to be solved in that reproduction of the image for an arbitrary period of time cannot be performed.
In particular, even if the reproduction time period of an image when an apparatus combines effects at a stage of production of a slideshow file is set so as to coincide with the reproduction time period of BGM, while the reproduction time period of BGM is determined arbitrarily for each tune, the degree of freedom of the reproduction time period of slideshow images which is a total reproduction time period of effects is so low that it is difficult to make the reproduction time period of slideshow images coincide with the reproduction time period of BGM.
If a difference appears between the reproduction time periods of images and BGM in this manner, then such a disadvantageous situation appears that BGM still continues to be outputted even after the display of images comes to an end or images continue to be displayed without sound after the BGM comes to an end. In this manner, there is the possibility that the degree of satisfaction of the user by the slideshow may be degraded.